Let's work to preserve our historic buildings

By By the Advocate Editorial Board
Oct. 4, 2010 at 5:04 a.m.

IF YOU GO

What: Victoria City Council meeting

Where: 107 W. Juan Linn St.

When: 5 p.m. Tuesday

Victoria is full of historic structures. And that is a good thing. But we need to make sure that these buildings have every chance of surviving the rigors of time so they will be a "living" testimonial for our children, their children and generations to come.

We fully support an ordinance proposed by City Council Member Denise Rangel that would impose a 60-day moratorium on demolition of any historic structure in Victoria. And we support the Victoria City Council being able to sustain the moratorium with a second 60-day period, as provided by this proposed ordinance.

We applaud Rangel for thinking of our heritage, our classic architecture and the physical brick and mortar that binds us as a community.

The moratorium - and possibly a second 60-day period - would give owners, the community and others - possibly entrepreneurs - a chance to save any structure targeted for demolition that was constructed before 1950.

We recall the Spanish colonial revival home on the corner of Main and North streets - it was on the National Register of Historic Places, meaning it was of national significance.

The unique architecture of the house was there for 84 years before it was demolished in April. In this case, the house was beyond restoration, eaten up with termites and deteriorated by rotten wood. But the demise of the Krenek House, as it was called, was the impetus for Rangel to create the proposed ordinance.

The proposed ordinance also provides that the council can allow demolition plans if the structure in question is unsafe.

Overall, we see this ordinance as a good one. One valuable element about Victoria is its historic structures. We must do everything possible to preserve them. Council, we urge you to work toward adoption of this ordinance when you meet Tuesday.

This editorial reflects the views of the Victoria Advocate's editorial board.